The Pontefract and Castleford constituency consists of Pontefract, Knottingley, Castleford and Normanton Common. At the last count there were 63,403 people entitled to vote. It is one of the four constituencies that make up our local metropolitan district council, Wakefield MDC.

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We sit smack-bang in the middle of the East-West and North-South motorway systems, with both the M62 and the A1 going through, and the M1 just to the west of us.

We are also linked into the railway system, with no less than three stations in Pontefract, two in Castleford and one in Knottingley.

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of Ordnance Survey, © Crown copyright

You may have heard of Pontefract Horse Races or of Castleford Tigers, our local Rugby League Team.

If you have a sweet tooth, you might be familiar with Pomfret Cakes, made of liquorice which used to be grown locally. There are still a number of major sweet factories in the constituency but the Pomfret Cakes are no longer hand stamped.

The constituency has a variety of industries, including a number of chemical and glass works. There are no more deep mine collieries in the constituency, although Kellingley pit is just outside the constituency and many local people work there.

Lots of new investment is now coming into the area through developments like Xscape and Junction 32 which both employ and entertain lots of local people.

At the start of 2003 Pontefract and Castleford were named as the next candidates for Urban Renaissance by the Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward.

A number of consultation events were held in the towns between local people, the council, and architects and planners where local priorities were identified.

The regeneration plans range from big infrastructure projects like a new transport interchange in Castleford and the redevelopment of Prince of Wales pit site to smaller individual projects like a new footbridge across the River Aire.Much of the regeneration process was filmed by an innovative Channel 4 programme called The Castleford Project. Click here for more information about the project. 

For Shakespeare swots, Pontefract - or as the bard calls it, Pomfret - is the setting for Richard II. Alas, the castle has been razed to the ground but the remains are impressive nevertheless.

Beneath the streets of Castleford are the extensive remains of a Roman settlement, including a Roman bath house.

The area towards Knottingley was the scene of a major battle in the English Civil War and Cromwell stayed in Knottingley during the siege of Pontefract Castle. There is also some local opinion that Robin Hood came from around here, rather than Nottingham.

Pontefract, Knottingley, Castleford and Normanton Common all have historic roots going back to at least the Romans.

More modern claims to fame include the first ballot box used in elections in the northern hemisphere in Pontefract, and of course, Castleford-born sculptor Henry Moore.